Tag Archives: author

Today, I’m excited to bring you wonderful news from a friend and excellent writer, Mistral Dawn! She is attempting her first foray into the Sci-Fi genre and has created what looks to be an amazing story. Her new book, Rainbow Dreams, will release April 19th, but it’s available for pre-order now from the following merchants!

Have you ever had a terrible secret you didn’t want anyone to know? Petri does and it may get her killed. Life is hard on Upworld, especially for the residents of Under City, and it’s even harder for those who don’t fit in. Petri has alway been different and now those differences may cost her life. Her one hope is to leave the only home she’s ever known while evading the mob that’s calling for her blood. But Petri has never been outside of her sector of Under City, never mind off the planet. And the laws of Upworld forbid people like her from leaving. Will Petri overcome the odds and make good her escape? Maybe…with a little help from her friends.

Sound interesting? Great!

I also want to let you know about an Amazon Giveaway she’s running for Captivated By The Winter King. It’s free to enter! Since Rainbow Dreams won’t be released until April 19th, in the meantime, you can get your sexy romance fix with some dreamy Fae!

Okay, okay, I know, enough stalling. If you’re as excited as I am about this story, I know you’re all ready for a peek:

Rainbow Dreams Chapter One Excerpt

Lightning bolts of fire and ice shot up and down Petri’s spine as she moved over the human man on the bed. Her short, slender body bowed with the sensations that washed over her. His lust was like a fountain of cold water on a hot day, and she was parched. It had been too long; she needed this. Desperately.

Looking down at him as she slid her body onto his straining cock, she smiled. This client had wanted to be blindfolded; he said he enjoyed the mystery. There was more mystery in Petri than most humans would know what to do with, so that was fine with her. With him blindfolded, she didn’t need to be careful to keep her own eyes shut. This was going to be a good feed, and there was no way she could have kept her eyes from glowing.

The man moaned in pleasure. Being fed upon felt as good for humans as feeding did for Petri. None of her clients knew she sipped from their energy, their life force, when she fucked them. All they knew was that she was one hell of a talented dolly. A win-win for all involved.

This client was a regular; Petri had shown him many times how good it could be with her. Some of her regulars came to crave her, almost like the dream dust that was sold in the club below. They were guaranteed repeat business, and she always made sure to show them a good time. After all, that was her job.

The energy of the man’s lust filled Petri as she glided up and down on top of him. She shivered. It was renewing, rejuvenating. She couldn’t get enough. A few grains of dust remained on his upper lip as evidence of his earlier indulgence in some of the chemical delights that were available at Abracadabra.

It was clear her client was high long before Petri started feeding. Before she blindfolded him, she had noted the man’s dilated pupils and the flush of pleasure on his face. She had no doubt the management of Abracadabra would go to great lengths to make sure he received the maximum enjoyment possible during his visit. There was a reason it was the hottest nightclub in this part of Under City.

The club specialized in hedonism in all its forms. Drugs of every description, games, gambling, and other, darker pleasures could be found within its walls. House dollies, little more than sex slaves, waited to fulfill the customers’ every desire. Freelance dollies, like Petri, rented space to ply their trade as well. The house allowed it because the dollies offered the club’s clientele more variety and were motivated to attract business. Once a patron had satisfied their lust, they often wandered downstairs in search of other entertainments.

Leaning down, Petri pressed her cat-like mouth to her client’s lips in a sizzling kiss. Their tongues tangled as he responded, and she undulated her hips against his, faster and faster. The drugs he had consumed tainted his energy, giving Petri a pleasant buzz. She never took dust herself since it interfered with her ability to control her power, but she enjoyed the effect when one of her johns indulged. As their sex intensified, Petri drank deeper, swallowing down the man’s whimpers and sighs of ecstasy as she swallowed his desire.

Lost in the haze of feeding for the first time in days, Petri didn’t realize it at first when the man suddenly went still underneath her. His penis remained stiff and eager inside her, and she continued to ride it, draining his energy. It was only when the cold, clamminess of his skin penetrated the pleasurable trance she often sank into when feeding that she realized that she had gone too far. Her heart skipped a beat.

Swinging her leg over him, she clambered off his body and knelt beside him on the bed. She grabbed his shoulder, shaking him, but there was no response. He was as still and cold as death.

Petri’s breath froze in her chest as she tried to suppress her rising panic. She slapped him, hard, across his face, trying to provoke a response. There was nothing. Leaning down, she put her ear against his chest, listening for something, anything. Any sign that a spark of life remained in the man. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she might have heard a faint fluttering within.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and put her hands on his chest, fingers splayed. She had never done this before, but her instincts said it might work. The process of drawing energy from others had come automatically when she reached physical maturity. It was as natural as breathing to her. But reversing the flow of energy… That was something else altogether. She forced herself to focus; all she could do was try.

Reaching down into the well of energy within her, Petri tried to snag a wisp of it. It was like trying to catch fog. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated and managed to grab a small piece of the mist and tease it up, out of herself and back into the man. It flowed at a slow trickle, but it did flow. The man took a deep breath and Petri slumped in relief.

Before she could stop him, or even turn away, the man reached up and snatched the blindfold from his face. When he saw her glowing eyes, he shrieked, “Mgeni!”

Petri swore. She knew she didn’t have much time. Sitting up, she sucker-punched her client hard in his stomach. The man folded over, clutching his gut, just like she knew he would. As her former client coughed and wheezed, Petri scrambled into her tight, red mini-dress and stiletto pumps and clambered out the window. She couldn’t risk trying to make it through the crowded club below; she needed to be gone before the man recovered enough to sound the alarm.

*****

Whoo! I guess she’s in some trouble! Want to find out what happens next? Reserve your copy today so you’ll get it without delay on the 19th!

January 6, 2016, was a bittersweet day for Elizabeth York. She finished The Water Series and released the highly anticipated Water Wishes, concluding Candice and Jaxson’s story. How did this heart wrenching, hot book boyfriend having, suspenseful thriller end? You have to get your own copy to find out. And you can do it while it’s on sale for $0.99.

How about a little blurb to remind you of what you’re missing?

Candice Carson, was a best-selling author, who thought she had found her happily ever after. She found a great guy in, Jaxson Monroe, and married him. But her deceased fiancé, who was never dead, walked into the church and ruined her plans.

Jaxson Monroe, a NYPD detective, knew that Candice was the love of his life, but when his best friend returns from the grave to take his new wife all bets are off.

Will their new love survive the old familiar love?
Will best friends make amends or will it end six feet under?

“If stars can’t hold your wishes and water only drowns them, then who do you turn to when your faith loses its way?”

For those of you who haven’t read the first book Wishing on the Water yet, go grab a copy and find out how Candice and Jaxson’s story began.

Blurb:

“I was always told never to wish on the first star at night. If everyone wishes on one star, how will the star keep up? A star with too many wishes will just fall out of the sky. Rain drops are plentiful, and there are thousands. They wash away the filth and carry it to a better place. So when you make a wish, wish on the water and let it carry your problems away.”

Candice-Leigh Carson, a New York City best-selling author, was engaged to one of NYPD’s finest. She was living the dream until she lost her fiancé, quit her job and moved, leaving behind the only family she ever knew. She left her best friend Jaxson, without saying goodbye. In her quest to find herself, would she ever find love again?

Jaxson Monroe, one of NYPD’s finest, lost his partner when an undercover job went south. After spending a night with his partner’s lover, Candice, she flees into the night. He loved Candice and had promised his partner he would protect her. It was his fault she ran, but he quickly found himself in the arms of another. Would Jaxson ever convince Candice to come home or did he prefer another woman? Would their love survive his betrayal and her abandonment?

Today I want to take a few minutes to give some blog time to a wonderful author and publisher, Claire Plaisted. She has a new book out called Double Crossed, the fifth book in the Garrett Investigations Bureau Series. I figured the best way to talk to you about Claire and her series, was to let her do it in her own words. So without further ado… Claire Plaisted!

******

Hi my name is Claire Plaisted. I am married with four children and a wonderful life in Rotorua, New Zealand. I am a Family History Researcher who fell into writing by accident in 2011 while waiting for information for a Family History Book. It wasn’t Garrett Investigation Bureau (GIB) though will be published next year.

I write many different genres including childrens, young adults, historical, and of course GIB, which has at least another 3 books to be written. I have published 10 books so far. All are on Kindle and a few are in paperback.

I am also an Indie Publisher for Indie Authors as well as making photo books, family history books, and much more.

The Garrett Investigations Bureau Series was born in 2013 and first published on 7th November 2013. This was my first offical series.

Double Crossed is the 5th book in the Garrett Investigation Bureau Series though is in fact the 6th book due to the prequel ‘Hidden Agenda,” which is the third book I wrote. Confused…Yeah I’m good like that.

Double Crossed is about Jones, a man of mystery, who has been around for a long time. I would call him a Double Agent, but others might call him a Slave serving a Master.

Following him and a team of security and agents though time, torture, the paranormal, and even a cult, to see if his life is worth saving. Can he be a hero after all?

Double Crossed, Book 5 is on sale for $2.99

Meet Jones the delectable double agent who isn’t. Confused, so is he. Working for Garrett Investigation Bureau for the last 6 months or so, he finds good friends and a love which could kill him. Is he really a double agent or a slave to a master?

Other books in the series:

Hidden Secrets, Book 1

Anastasia Belaruski, an agent for Garrett Investigation Bureau, has a hidden secret. Though she doesn’t know it yet, it will all come tumbling around her as her latest assignment progresses. Never mind her boss, Malachy Garrett, falling in love with her at the most inconvenient of times.

Secrets Past, Book 2

Rosetta’s first solo assignment was to delve into an Art Theft Ring in a small mountain town. What could go wrong? Who was the mysterious man trying to protect her? Who wanted her dead and why? Follow the twists and turns and see if Rosie survives.

Hidden Slaves, Book 3

FBI Agent Thomas Ryan is brought in to work with Sylvia and Eric on finally closing down the prostitution ring.

Sylvia is frustrated with how things are going, Eric is having nightmares and wants the assignment over and done with when Agent Thomas Ryan walks in.

Meanwhile Blaze Carrington once again escapes his judgement day, the trial scrapped he goes into hiding to plan his next big adventure after taking over his grandfather’s enterprise. Unknowingly walking into something he may not escape alive.

Working with Agent Ryan, the gentle giant of the FBI, and the GIB Agents find more than they bargained for, with many twists and turns, laughter, and romance, things finally blow up and the climax has at least one head rolling.

Secret Assassin, Book 4

Hilton Mascosta is a hard man. He doesn’t like women, then again he doesn’t like people much either; a loner most of the time, he looks out for himself. Protected by instinct, he gets involved in something which escalates out of control.

Violence erupts in New York, one thing after another, as Mascosta and the G.I.B Agency race against time to rescue one woman, only to find out there are many more to save.

Steffie doesn’t realise who she really is. She’s like a robot, doing as ordered by her controller. During one assignment as a model, her eyes connect with an unknown man. With a pounding heart, she falls under his spell.

Has Mascosta found his dream girl, or will he push her away?

Hidden Agenda, Prequel

Joseph Garrett and his two Harvard colleagues enter into a business in 1977. Joseph and Kevin are Genetic Researchers while Henry is Lawyer.

Kevin Truit seems to think the world owes him and he starts to play God trying to create a human with advanced genetic. Joseph Garrett notices something is going on and investigates find a world of prostitutes, women sold at auction, experimental drugs, and Kevin’s genetic experiments. Right in the middle of this is the woman Joseph loves. Will she survive? Will Kevin succeed? Will Joseph be reunited with the woman he loves?

Mistral Dawn Author Spotlight & Giveaway

Today, I am spotlighting a friend on her blog tour sponsored by The Book Garden. She is a wonderful person who has given me much help during my first year of writing. Her name is Mistral Dawn and she currently has three books out in a fantasy series. Currently, I am reading the first one, Taken By the Huntsman, and I have reached about 70% of the way through it. I feel I should give some of my impressions about the book as they will do nothing but compliment her spotlight.

Taken By the Huntsman is the first book in a long time on the subject of the Fae that I can say I enjoyed. The story is great, so far, and I’m impressed with the characters. The one that stands out the most for me is Cassie. She is a strong, independent female who desires to maintain her independence and usefulness after she is kidnapped by the Huntsman. She isn’t a bubble-headed woman who just bumbles through the story. She moves with intent and makes an effort to really learn about her surroundings and try to find her place in her new environment. Almost immediately, she takes to learning how to speak the language. I was quite impressed with her to say the least. The huntsman was equally impressive as he held aggression, compassion, devotion and duty in equal balance, which I find very appealing in a character. The story didn’t delve into gratuitous sex, which I was delighted with. I have read many series like this where sex was the focal point. Mistral was able to infuse it in the story to show the huntsman’s desire for Cassie without turning the story into porn.

So there are my thoughts on this series so far. I will give my full review on it once I am finished, but for now, I am happy to spotlight…

Mistral Dawn!

Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who currently lives in the SE US. She moves around quite a bit, and has lived on both US coasts, but somehow never in the middle. When she isn’t writing fantasy, romance novels or impersonating a graduate student, she rescues cats and kittens out of her home. Please spay or neuter your pets!

Taken By The Huntsman by Mistral Dawn

Discarded and ignored by those around her for most of her life, Cassie is a lonely human woman struggling to find her place in the world and meaning in her life. Cadeyrn is the Erlking, the leader of the Wild Hunt, a Fae, hundreds of thousands of years old, who has always known his purpose. He has spent his entire long existence tracking the criminals of Fairie and punishing them for their crimes.

While hunting for the murderer of a child who has escaped to Earth Cadeyrn comes across Cassie and realizes that she is the one that the great mother goddess has designated as his soul mate. He kidnaps her and takes her to his fortress in Fairie to protect her from his many enemies. He knows she will be angry and that he’ll have to work to earn her trust, but he finds his task to be even more challenging than he had thought it would be due to Cassie’s difficulty in opening her heart.

Will Cadeyrn be able to convince Cassie that the bond between them is real and earn her love?

Bound By The Summer Prince by Mistral Dawn

The Summer Court is in an uproar. The king has just been executed for unpardonable crimes, and the queen is prostrate with grief over his loss. This leaves the Summer kingdom bereft of true leadership; a problem which is compounded by the fact that the laws of Fairie require balance to be maintained by having a male and a female ruler for both Season Courts at all times. Uaine, the Summer prince, is the only one who can put things right, but he is without a mate. Knowing that he must take a bride quickly, for the sake of his people, even though he is struggling with his own feelings of pain and anger over his father’s treachery, he goes for a walk in a forest near the palace to try to clear his head and determine how best to choose a female to rule beside him.

While walking Uaine discovers a human female running loose in Fairie, which is against the most basic tenets of Fae law. Furious at one more problem he must deal with, he takes her prisoner and locks her in the dungeon; only to discover later that she is his soul-mate. The magical bond between them means they are meant to be together forever, but humans can’t feel the magic of Fairie. Will Uaine be able to win her heart and convince her that she can trust him to keep her safe from all the dangers of Fairie…including himself?

Roni is a human con woman and petty thief. Having run afoul of the local crime syndicate in the city where she is staying, she finds herself running for her life. Trouble is no stranger to her, but when she falls through a hole in a wall and finds herself in a world with carnivorous trees and rocks that eat people she realizes she may have found more of it than she can deal with. Rescued/arrested by the prince of the Summer Court, it doesn’t take long for her to formulate a plan to use him to get herself home.

Unfortunately for her, she soon finds that her heart, which she had thought long ago turned to stone, has begun to feel the love she has been playing at. Will she be able to overcome a lifetime of caution and allow herself to follow her heart? Can a criminal love a cop?

Excerpt from Bound By The Summer Prince:

Roni lay with her head pillowed on Uaine’s shoulder, and his arm around her. Just the feel of his body next to hers was enough to bring carnal images to her mind. Tilting her head up, she looked at him and gave him a wicked smile.

Laughing at the mischief in her expression, Uaine said, “And just what might you be thinking?”

“Would you like me to show you?”

“Hmmmm…I don’t know. That’s quite a look of deviltry in your eyes.”

“Ha! Coward! You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?”

“Ah, how could any male refuse such a challenge?” He smiled. “Do your worst, my love.”

Sitting up, Roni pulled her shirt over her head and wiggled out of her pants. Wearing only her lacy bra and panties, she got up onto her knees and put her hands on her hips, looking at the prince appraisingly.

Uaine just lay back, with his arms crossed behind his head, and cocked an eyebrow at her.

Grinning, she grabbed his shirt and yanked it over his head, so it covered his face.

He started to sit up. “Hey!”

She put a hand on his chest and pushed him back down. “Uh, uh, uh! Stay where you are.”

When he had subsided, Roni kissed his exposed neck, and down to his collarbone. Uaine’s breathing deepened, as she slowly made her way down to his chest. Running her fingers lightly over his body, she traced the outlines of his muscles.

Gently plucking at his nipples with her fingers, she kissed her way down his chest to suck the right one between her lips. While her right hand played with his left nipple, her left hand slowly trailed down to cup him through his pants. He bucked into her hand, and moaned as she began to caress him.

Intrigue In The Summer Court by Mistral Dawn

Jillian knows something bad is going to happen! She has been a loyal adviser to the throne and friend of the queen, Briallen, for thousands of years, and now Roni and Uaine’s wedding and coronation are to take place in just a couple days. The Summer Court will have a new king and queen, who, it is hoped, can repair the damage and heal the schism the late king created.

But Jillian can’t shake the feeling that trouble is brewing. Many of the Summer nobles aren’t happy about the changes that are taking place in the Summer Court, and many of the other Fae just aren’t too sure about having a human on the throne…even if she has been blessed by the goddess. When Angelica, the leader of the Pixies, comes to her with news of a plot to murder the prince and princess, Jillian’s suspicions are confirmed. Will the two of them be able to unravel this conspiracy in time to save the royal couple? Or will prejudice prevail, and the hope for peace in Fairie be lost forever?

Her prices are very reasonable. For ebook covers that the author provides the stock photos for and just need her to manipulate the photos and paint over small parts, she only charges $20! To include a wrap-around cover that can be used for a paperback, she charges $30. And for custom-painted covers (like the one above) she charges $100, and as you can see they are well worth the price!! 🙂

For people just looking for decorations for their home or desk, she is working on a new Amazon store (she says it will be like Etsy) where she will be listing her work for sale soon. In the meantime, you can find her books here:

Did I mention she’s also an amazing novelist? A woman of many talents!! 🙂 The easiest way to contact her for custom artwork is through Facebook. 🙂 And besides being wildly talented, she really is a gem! 🙂

So…would you like to see the synopsis for Intrigue In The Summer Court???? 😉 Here it is:

Jillian just knows something bad is going to happen! She’s been a loyal adviser to the throne and friend of the queen, Briallen, for thousands of years, and now Roni and Uaine’s wedding and coronation are to take place in just a couple days. The Summer Court will have a new king and queen, who can hopefully repair the damage and heal the schism the late king created.

But Jillian just can’t shake the feeling that trouble is brewing. Many of the Summer nobles aren’t happy about the changes that are taking place in the Summer Court, and many of the other Fae just aren’t too sure about having a human on the throne…even if she has been blessed by the goddess. When Angelica, the leader of the Pixies, comes to her with news of a plot to murder the prince and princess, Jillian’s suspicions are confirmed. Will the two of them be able to unravel this conspiracy in time to save the royal couple? Or will prejudice prevail, and the hope for peace in Fairie be lost forever?

Huh, sounds pretty dire, what do you think? 😉 Would you like to read some excerpts? Check these out! 🙂

I picked up Lavender and Haddock: The Trouble with Wyrms Part 1 just last week, with the promise of a funny read and ended up plowing through the book with ease. Mind you, I didn’t read the synopsis of the book before I got it. Occasionally I walk on the wild side and trust my instincts based on the cover and reviews. While touted as a funny and hilarious story, it was the cover that had me. It includes a smartly dressed man and woman, one of which is holding a pistol, with a dragon standing behind them holding a sign that says, “Votes for Women.” What more did I need! This cover alone promised more fun and nonsense than a barrel full of ferrets, so I dove right in, and I am very glad that I did.

The story takes place in 1912 England, which is another hook for me given my affinity for British stories. The plot, which I won’t give away any spoilers, is unusual and silly, much to my delight. Imagine a pack of women, all named after fish, trying to accomplish a mission while attempting to integrate with their surroundings and keeping their sensible wardrobes clean. Their antics at times reminded me of the phrase, “herding cats.” These women were as different from one another as they could be, and coordinating them seemed to be as impossible as herding cats. Their mission is to find dragons, specifically the Wyrms of England so that they can defeat Tarantulus Spleen.

Making the plot more amusing was the outrageous characters and the liberal sprinkling of magic. The characters include a pile of sensibly dressed women and one man who and in effect, space traveling witches, a rat man hybrid named Vermyn Stench, and a sorcerer named Tarantulus Spleen. Add to that a pack of rats that, “could go through your undercarriage like a doctor’s thermometer,” and the zany residents of Sodden-on-the-Bog, and you have a recipe for laugh out loud entertainment.

Lavender and Haddock had the full package for me, having a great story, dynamic characters, amusing dialogue, and the right combination of magic and silliness. I recommend this book to anyone who is in the mood for a light-hearted, funny read. I will be reading Part 2, Educating Creatures, very soon.

Special Notes: For a limited time, Alexi is giving away a companion novella to Complicated Creatures.

Review

Alexi Lawless created a series that drives its hooks into you and doesn’t let you go when she wrote Complicated Creatures. Everything is perfect in this book – the plot, pace, settings, and characters all aim to please and do not fail. The story chronicles Samantha Wyatt’s life in a male dominated world and her complicated budding relationship with the high life playboy, Jack Roman. The story line is fast paced, which is indicative of Samantha and Jack’s lifestyles. I was constantly engaged with the plot, and the alternating points of view between Jack and Samantha, added to the brisk pace of the story. Sprinkle that with a little high tension field ops and you get the perfect blend of romance and action that will satisfy most anyone.

All of the characters prove their worth time and again, each one uniquely personified in well rounded, complex individuals. You immediately are drawn to both Sam and Jack, rooting for their success, despite the obstacles, both situational and emotional. I was quite impressed with Jack as he didn’t end up following the typical billionaire character. Samantha not only talks the talk, but walks the walk in being a strong, independent woman. The cast of minor characters also adds to the depth of the story as well as Sam and Jack.

I highly recommend this book even for those who don’t think the action genre is for them. I will warn you though, when you buy Complicated Creatures Part 1, which I know you will, you need to get Hell or High Water, Complicated Creatures Part 2 because part 1 ends in a cliffhanger and you won’t be able to wait to find out what happens.